Education

EDUCATION, SCHOOL

Let’s talk about education. What can you tell me about your school?

Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world. During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people.

Self-education is very important for the development of human’s talents. Only through self-education a person can become a harmonically developed personality. A person becomes a highly qualified specialist after getting some special education. And professionalism can be reached only through it. Even highly qualified specialists from time to time attend refresher courses to refresh their knowledge.

The civilized state differs from others in the fact that it pays much attention to the educational policy. John Kennedy said: “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education”. But it doesn’t concern only one particular nation. We know that science and art belong to the whole world. Before them the barriers of nationality disappear. So education brings people closer to each other, helps them to understand each other better.

My school is an ordinary building in a new residential area, a 3-storied building with a swimming pool and a spacious gym. Of course there is a lot to be improved. For example our canteen could be more pleasant in its design. Also I’d like to have a bigger library with a reading hall. But in spite of all I love my Gymnasium and I’m proud of it.

Most of our classrooms are quite good, light and spacious. When you enter this or that classroom you understand what subject is taught here as you see special devices or equipment in every room.

At school we work at many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and which is the most important we get knowledge. Various subjects are studied at our gymnasium: History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, Belarusian, Russian, Literature, Geography, Astronomy, Drawing and Singing. So we have a great variety of things to choose for our future interest in our professional life. As for me I’m fond of … I work hard so as to gain appropriate knowledge and to pass my future exams successfully.

School provides children not only with knowledge. It’s also a place where children spend their free time. There are many amateur groups or circles and sport sections in my school. Special teachers help children to develop their creative abilities either in sport sections, a school choir or theatre, or to improve English after classes. Ecology and tourism are also very popular today. So, schoolchildren can also be engaged in these activities.

School is our second home. No one can ever forget it.

Do you agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge? Why (not)?

Generally speaking, I should say that children have got good opportunities to get good knowledge. Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to pay much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.

Our system of education has been reforming for many years probably because the aim of the reform is rather global: to create an independent, qualitatively new national school corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his or her abilities and inclinations.

The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are the priority of human values, national culture as the basis of education, humanism, sense of ecological purpose, scientific basis, support of gifted children and others.

Ask me whether I liked school when I was a pupil.

– Did you like your school when you were a pupil?

– What was your favourite subject?

– Did you have classes on Saturday?

– How much time did it take you to do your homework?

What ideas from Belarusian school can you advise a teacher from Great Britain to use in British school?

I don’t think it’s a good idea to be intrusive. First of all, I’m not a professional person in the sphere of education. Secondly, it would be more reasonable to have some kind of experience of real British education. And only then, if I were asked, I would be able to suggest something.

Today some young people think that having a good education is not very important. Do you agree with them?

It all depends on many things. Those people who think that having a good education is not very important, have their own plans. Some girls want to be good mothers and have big families. Other people think that manual professions do not need good education. In this case they are mistaken. To my mind all professions need special education. Nowadays only highly qualified workers can deal with rather sophisticated equipment and computers.

THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN BELARUS

We can say that Belarus has a developed system of education. Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to pay much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.

Our system of education has been reforming for many years probably because the aim of the reform is rather global: to create an independent, qualitatively new national school corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his or her abilities and inclinations.

The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are the priority of human values, national culture as the basis of education, humanism, sense of ecological purpose, scientific basis, support of gifted children and others.

There have been changes in the organization of education itself. New types of educational establishments have appeared: gymnasium, lyceum, experimental school, college. There appeared non-state schools of various kinds, private kindergartens, schools at home, commercial institutes. So, it stimulates the effectiveness of education, creates new ideas.

Some more questions about education and school …

What can you advise a student who is not very good at languages to do to achieve better results?

Nowadays it’s almost impossible to imagine any profession without global communication. You need a foreign language so as to contact your colleagues from different countries, to read about advanced ideas in your professional branch or to visit a conference. Your employer will prefer to have a person who is potentially able to manage all these things. So, if a person has got a strong motivation, it’ll be easy for him/ her to make progress in English. First of all it’s necessary to learn English after classes. For example to watch English films, listen to different educational programs, songs, read in English. The Internet can offer you a great variety of activities connected with learning languages.

Do you agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge? Why (not)?

Generally speaking, I should say that children have got opportunities to get good knowledge. The programmes of Belarusian secondary school comprise all the subjects necessary for basic knowledge so as to have a chance to choose any profession. Students may be involved in different educational activities which provide not only theoretical base but also practical skills: such as making different projects and presentations, research work, making speeches. The aim of our secondary education is also to learn social skills, to develop critical thinking, to develop understanding of other people, to prepare for life in the workplace and many others.

Thus, those people who have got determination, persistence, self-motivation will succeed in their future life.

Which school club would you advise your classmates to join?

Our school has a wide range of out-of-class activities. There is a number of school clubs and societies to meet the interests of each pupil. They offer opportunities to develop different talents and skills and test them in different school events.

For example if you are fond of music and singing you may join our “Singing club”. If you enjoy doing puzzles and brain teasers, or play board and maths games you may visit the club of “Brain teasers”. If you are keen on sports you’ll have a lot of opportunities to choose any kind of sport club in our school.

For those people who are fond of English and have got some artistic talent may join our “Theatre club”.

You see, “Where is a will there is a way.”

Let’s talk about studying at school

Everyone remembers his or her school and the first school day. It’s an unforgettable event. When I think of my school some pictures come to my memory: I’m on my way to school, flowers in hand, my parents accompany me, saying some kind words and encouraging me, many children with bags and flowers.

Happiness, sadness and other emotions, or even love sick, we all can find in our school time. That’s why school life is the best time in human life. During this time, we will develop many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and especially knowledge. Various subjects are studied at school. So we have a great variety of things to choose for our future interest in our professional life.

My school is an ordinary building in a new residential area, a 3-storied building with a swimming pool and a spacious gym. Of course there is a lot to be improved. For example our canteen could be more pleasant in its design. Also I’d like to have a bigger library with a reading hall. But in spite of all I love my Gymnasium and I’m proud of it.

Most of our classrooms are quite good, light and spacious. When you enter this or that classroom you understand what subject is taught here as you see special devices or equipment in every room.

At school we work at many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and which is the most important we get knowledge. Various subjects are studied at our gymnasium: History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, Belarusian, Russian, Literature, Geography, Astronomy, Drawing and Singing. As for me I’m fond of … I work hard so as to gain appropriate knowledge and to pass my future exams successfully.

School provides children not only with knowledge. It’s also a place where children spend their free time. There are many amateur groups or circles and sport sections in my school. Special teachers help children to develop their creative abilities either in sport sections, a school choir or theatre, or to improve English after classes. Ecology and tourism are also very popular today. So, schoolchildren can also be engaged in these activities.

Going to school also means you will have a lot of friends. There is nothing better than belonging to a great group of friends and nothing worse than feeling like an outcast. Friends are important. They are shoulders for you to cry on when you are sad or happy so your sadness will be less, and your happiness will be twice.

Talking about school time, you can never forget the time you share your sweet dreams to your friends, and they tell you theirs; the time you have fun with them playing in the school yard or going shopping or even playing truant together! … No matter how good or bad those memories are, school time is still unforgettable with sweet friendship and platonic love. Going to school also means you will have a new family, new moms who teach you many things about life.

School is our second home. No one can ever forget it.

Do you agree that our school gives a person a good start in life? Why (not)?

Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world. During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people.

The aim of our secondary education is to learn social skills, to develop critical thinking, to develop understanding of other people, to prepare for life in the workplace and many others.

Thus, those people who have got determination, persistence, self-motivation will succeed in their future life.

Nowadays some young people complain that they have lots of problems at school. Do you agree with them?

There are always people who complain about something. The same thing happens at school. Personally, I don’t like these wet blankets. They may not like teachers or subjects or timetables or what not. They are always complaining about their huge home tasks or something else. There may be two reasons for such behavior: either they are lazy or depressed. To tell you the truth, this group is not a numerous one. I try to avoid such people.

Today some young people want to study abroad because they believe that the level of education is higher there.Would you do the same?

Yes it’s true about some people. But they want to go abroad not because the level of education is better there. They go there because in future they will have more opportunities. The level of living conditions is much better in some other countries. Besides they will improve their knowledge of foreign languages. Also there are people who are looking for adventures and want to be independent from their parents. Going abroad is the best opportunity to enjoy both.